If you asked San Francisco teacher-librarian Lisa Bishop, she could write a book on the importance of public schools staffing full-time librarians. Though considered by...

Joyce Valenza's insight:

"Though considered by many to be a staple in a child's education, full-time librarians are being hired by fewer and fewer public schools in California each year for at least the past decade."

But San Francisco is an exception!

But San Francisco is the rare exception. The City not only increased its teacher-librarians over the past decade, but it's about to employ a record-high number of such librarians in the coming school year.Over the past decade, The City not only increased its number of teacher-librarians -- who require special credentials to earn that title -- but it's about to employ a record number of such librarians in the coming school year.

"Case in point: Monticello High School in Charlottesville, Virginia. When librarian Joan Ackroyd arrived there four years ago, she found an environment very different from the “engaging, creative, fun” elementary and middle school libraries to which she was accustomed. “Its library was none of those things,” she recalls. “It was a traditional, quiet research space.”

Liz Shannon Miller: "Here's some friendly advice for anyone who's passionate about film, television and media in general: If you don't pay attention to the video game industry, now might be the time to start."

Amy Ratcliffe: "The rise in popularity of social media platforms and apps has opened the door for storytellers to deliver their content in inventive ways that let them engage with the audience. Transmedia storytelling is becoming a way of life for many" ...

In early April 2014, American Association of School Librarians (AASL) president Gail Dickinson says she received the news thatDC Public Schools (DCPS)—in Washington, DC—was heavily recruiting school library media specialists (SLMS), with as many as 30 openings. According to Dickinson, the recruiting likely stems from a combination of postponed retirements and added positions.

"According to new research from Library Research Services, which reviewed standardized test scores from Colorado schools in 2005 and 2011, reading scores statistically increased when schools retained or gained a school librarian.

Wisconsin teacher librarian Crystal Brunelle has long prioritized advocating diverse children's literature in school and libraries, but only in the last few years has she figured out a way to put her beliefs into everyday practice—which she offers...

The 3rd annual mobile technology in K-12 education report has been made available by IESD, Inc.

"Respondents described a variety of promising practices across the range of grade levels and in a variety of subject areas. Most commonly, they described uses of mobile technology as a tool for completing assignments; as a tool for online instruction and for whole-group 2014 National Survey on Mobile Technology for K-12 Education instruction; as a platform for course communication; as a way for students to demonstrate learning and/or share their work with the class; and as a student collaboration tool.”

Access to school libraries and librarians are among the resources that all of Chicago’s students deserve, but many CPS librarian positions have been cut and more than 200 schools are either without a library or certified library staff.

Joyce Valenza's insight:

"So it is hypocritical that Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s “Rahm Readers” program has challenged Chicago public school students to read more than 2.4 million books this summer, despite schools being stripped of the librarian assistance that students need by the mayor and his handpicked Chicago Board of Education. When addressing the lack of resources and justifying continued CPS budget cuts, Emanuel and CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett often fail to mention librarians at all. A library without a trained, certified librarian, however, is like a hospital or health clinic without a doctor or nurse—useless."

As I move in to a role where I will be working with other colleagues on a more formal basis when it comes to e-learning, I have been reflecting upon different Apps. I was thinking about SAMR and which Apps can have transformative learning linked to them, if used properly. The list started growing...

Collections, staff and space dedicated to teens have existed in libraries for years. Now, libraries are shifting those resources to developing learning spaces where teens can create content instead of consume it. Research has shown the widespread positive impacts of afterschool programs on academic achievement and social behavior, especially in low-income communities. The need for spaces that engage teens becomes even greater during summer break, when teens have more free time, said Elyse Adler with the Nashville Public Library.

TheA 2007 video that shows the contribution an effective school library can make to the educational, creative, emotional and reading development of children and young people. It looks at how design can enable this.

Last night at the Re/Code Conference, Microsoft demoed real-time translation over Skype. Imagine talking to someone over a video call, they spoke a completely different language than you did, but the technology did real time translation as you spoke. Microsoft has a beta they demonstrated last night at the conference. Gurdeep Pall, Corporate Vice President […]

Shannon Englebrecht, who works for the San Francisco Unified School District, is poised to become one of a rare breed in California when her hours are increased next year: a full-time public school librarian.

"The lack of certified librarians has led to a decrease in student access to books, a decline in student research skills and the loss of an important resource for teachers, said Janice See-Gilmore, president of the California School Library Association.

The facility on the city's north side will promote experiential learning with the latest in technology, access to 3-D printers, sewing machines and other tools, plus space - lots and lots of space.

Traditional resources, including books, audio and visual media and e-books, will endure.

It will replace the nearby Briargate Library, which closed Sunday so that materials could be moved to the new building before its June 21 opening. The district's administrative offices also have moved to the new facility.

As libraries emerge as places to create and interact, PPLD, through Library 21c, is anticipating demands and desires, officials said.

"This is cutting edge," said Dee Vazquez Sabol, PPLD community engagement and outreach officer. "We have been planning for the past five years so we weren't struggling to catch up."

Library 21c is the first of its kind in the country, Sabol said. Several libraries around the country have similar components, but none has so many features that patrons can use in one place."

Hite's Action Plan falls short Philadelphia Public School Notebook Most schools do not have enough money to spend on school libraries; there is not enough money to employ qualified librarians. Worst of all, there are not enough qualified teachers.

Sharing your scoops to your social media accounts is a must to distribute your curated content. Not only will it drive traffic and leads through your content, but it will help show your expertise with your followers.

Integrating your curated content to your website or blog will allow you to increase your website visitors’ engagement, boost SEO and acquire new visitors. By redirecting your social media traffic to your website, Scoop.it will also help you generate more qualified traffic and leads from your curation work.

Distributing your curated content through a newsletter is a great way to nurture and engage your email subscribers will developing your traffic and visibility.
Creating engaging newsletters with your curated content is really easy.